When a disaster or an armed conflict occurs, communication systems often break down – and families are separated. Disappearances often occur during tragic circumstances. Not knowing what has happened to your loved ones is a horrible experience.

The Red Cross operates all over the world – including Norway – to locate the missing, account for their fates, restore contact between family members, and reunite them if possible.

The tracing service consists of two main efforts: Tracing requests, and distribution of Red Cross Messages (RCM).

Tracing and reunification
Through its world wide network, the Red Cross traces missing people who have disappeared due to armed conflicts or natural disasters. The Norwegian Red Cross has several hundred ongoing cases each year.

In average, the Norwegian Red Cross receives around 300 new cases per year, in addition to a wide range of enquiries that are communicated to other relevant parties. Around half of the requests are from refugee claimants, refugees, work-seeking immigrants or victims of human trafficking. One out of five tracing requests still concerns the Second World War.

Since 1919 the Red Cross movement has lead tracing and messaging services in connection with over 2000 natural disasters and armed conflicts, for example the tsunami in Southern Asia, the hurricane in New Orleans, the war in the Balkans and the conflict in the Middle East.

Advanced technology
The Red Cross also works with identification of human remains after a war has ended. In this work the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) use blood samples, DNA technology and books containing pictures of the personal belongings found in mass graves. Through this time consuming and difficult work, the ICRC helps people find out the fate of their loved ones.

ICRC has developed a website for restoring family links. The aim of this website is to help those separated by conflicts or disasters to find information about their loved ones in order to restore contact. The ICRC also assists in communication between family members that are separated through Red Cross Messages.

Red Cross Messages
Red Cross Messages are utilized in situations where armed conflict or natural disasters prevent postal communication. The message service is cost free. The Red Cross also mediates contact between prisoners of war and civilian detainees, and their families and loved ones.

The messages are written on standardized forms and delivered to the national Red Cross society. Subsequently, they are distributed through the Red Cross network, consisting of 186 Red Cross and Red Crescent national societies, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies (IFRC), and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Red Cross Messages are sent both in and out of Norway. The time it takes to get a response to a message depends on the situation in the country the message is destined for. Red Cross Messages are growingly relevant, in spite of new forms of communication through the Internet.

In 2006 the ICRC distributed over 300.000 Red Cross Messages. In addition, each national society has activity in this field.

Historical background and legal foundation
The Red Cross Movement’s engagement in tracing and reuniting of families have roots back to the end of the 18th century. Since then, the service has expanded considerably, among other reasons due to its foundation in international law. The Red Cross has the legal right to help.

All states that have signed the Geneva Conventions are committed to clarifying the fate of people that have disappeared during war or conflict, and to inform their families.